Refrigerating mechanism



Nov. 28, 1944. P. H. THOMPSON I REFRIGERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. PARKE H.TH OMPSON .4 T romvgr Nov. 28, 1944. P. H. THOMPSON REFRIGERATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Feb. 28, 1942 INVENTOR.

PARKE H.THOMPSOIN BY 7 7L 'IIIIIII'IA 'lllll' A TTORMEY Fizurel;

Patented Nov. 28, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a 2,383,705 g, f

REFRIGERATING moms Parke 11. Thompson, Glendale, Mo. Application February 28, 1942, Serial No'. 432,755

(o1. sz- -s) 3' Claims.

This invention relates generally to. expansion valves and, more particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in thermostatically.

controlled expansion valves particularly adapted for use in connection with refrigeration systems; and this application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application for Control valves,

filed May'8, 1939, Serial No. 272,872.

My invention has for its primary objects the provision ofa control valve of the type stated "which is simple, compact, rugged, and durable in structure, which may be economically con-'- structed, which may be applied directly to the point of temperature control, which is capable of maintaining accurate control over a relatively wide range of load conditions and temperature characteristics, which obviates the use and employment of remotely located thermo- My invention has for a further object the pro- 1 vision or a control device of the type stated which may be constructed upon a-production and which may readily and conveniently be adjusted at the time of application both as to its temperature range and its sensitivity merely by varying the angular position in which it is placed during such installation.

And with the above and other objects in view,

my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combiner-1 tion of parts presently described and pointed outintheclaims,

In the accomp nyin drawinga:- (two sheets),

Figure 1 ditically illustrates a control valve embodying my present invention in operative relation with a refrigeration system;

Figures is an enlarged sectional view of the valve, taken approximately Figure 3 is a similar approximately along the line 3-3, Figure 2:

Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views of the valve, taken along the lines 4- and l--l, respectively, Figure 2:

-Figure 6fis an enlarged sectional view of a valve substantially similar to the valve shown in Figure 2, illustrating in more specific detail along theline 2-4,

static control elements, and which is highly ei- .ficient in the performance of its intended functions.

, very simple and expedient adjustment when lnstalled with a particular refrigerating system 3 tallic, material, and which includes an annular a temperature responsive charge which is partly in liquid and partly in gaseous-form overv the temperature range for. which the valve is to establish control;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the valve shown in Figure 6, illustrating the manner in which the sensitivity and range may be varied by tiltpractical embodiments of my invention, A designates a compressor of any standard or approved type. disposed and arranged for discharging liquid refrigerant through -a line B to a suitable condenser-receiver C, which latter, in turn, tunetions to deliver and supply the refrigerant through a line D to a control valve E 01 my invention. From the valve E, the liquid refrig-- erant is directed througha line F into the par-' ticular evaporator system G, for return in due course through a suction line'H to the com pressor A, all as best seen in Figure 1.

' The valve E preferably comprises a rigid outer somewhat bell-shaped shell or housing e, which is constructed of. any suitable. preferably meside wall 2 and an end wall I centrally provided with a laterally presentedneck 4, the shell wall 2 preferably flaring outwardly and being chamfered at and along its free margin, as at I, in the provision of a weld-seat for purposes presently appearing.

(Io-operable with the shell e in the formation of an intake or strainer chamber a, is a wallthrough, the neck 4, the duct 8 being sized for view of the valve, taken accommodating, and "forwelded or otherwise hermetically sealed connection with, an endportion of the evaporator inlet-pipe F. At the inner end of the duct i 'within the shell e, the member m is extended first outwardly toward the shell wall 2 and then laterally toward the shell end wall I in the provision of an opposite end wall portion l. The member m then adjacent the. shell wall I is integrally bent or otherwise formed-to provide an annular or ring portion ldisposed approximately in parallel rewall co'mpleting flange 8, which is disposed approximately in the plane of, and at its outer margin complementarily chamfered for welded or other fixed connection with the shell wall 2 at, the weld-seat 8, all as best seen in Figures 2 and 3.

Suitably located upon, and opening into the Marginally secured to and upon the outer faceof the end wall flange 9 and intermediately disposed in spaced relation over, and forming an outlet chamber b with, the chamber end wall m, is a diaphragm l2 centrally deformed, as at l3, for co-operably receiving an annular pressure disk or plate ll centrally apertured, as at It, and laterally flanged, as at Ilia-along its outer periphery for engagement with a companion oppositely disposed annular flange l8 upon the-inner periphery of a flat annular spring H, in turn, provided upon its outer periphery with an oppositely disposed lateral. rim l8 curled or bent over along its free margin in the provision of an arcuate comer-face of the chamber end wall m provided by'its portions -8 and thereby providing an auxiliary chamber b within the outlet chamber b.

The rim i8 of the annular spring I! is provided with a relatively small aperture or orifice 2|! for communicating the outlet chamber b and the auxiliary memberb', as best seen in Figure 3 and for purposes presently more fully appearing, and, as also presently more fully appearing, the

direction and control the difference in pressure above and below-the diaphragm l2 required to open the v'alveto a load satisfying position. The spring I! may or may not be sheathed in some resilient plastic substance, such as Neoprene, to improve its scaling properties in keeping evaporating refrigerant from the upper side'of diaphragm l2.

Formed preferably integrally with, and extending laterally from, the pressure disk ll about the margin of its aperture I5, is apin-carrying member 22 preferably of rectangular cross-section, the member 22 having four side walls 23 and a top or end wall 24 and having a diagonal dimension substantially equal to the inside diametral size of the duct 8 for slidable or shiftable engagement at its longitudinal corners 25 with the inner face of the duct 8, all as best seen in Figure 4.

In two of its opposed side walls 23, the pincarrying member 22 is provided longitudinally with suitably elongated registering apertures 26 for loosely embracing a transverse tube 21 extending diametrically across the duct 8, the tube '21 being at its ends securely mounted in, and

In its end wan 24, the member 22 is provided I r 2,868,705. tended in the provision of a lateral chamber and with a preferably circular aperture 29 disposed in co-axial alignmentwith the valve-seat aperture '28, and loosely extending through the aperture 29, is a valve-pin 38 preferablylntegrally provided at its inner end with a conical valvepoint 3i for seating in the tube 2'! at its aperture 28. Adjacent its upper or outer end, the valvepin 30 is provided with an annular groove 32 for retentive engagement by inwardly presented tongues 33 upon a cupped spring washer 34 having abutting engagement along its 0uter peripheral margin with the outer face of the pin carrier end wall 24 for permitting the valve-point 3i to center itself automatically in, the valve-seat 28 when the valve-pin 30 is in closed position, all as best seen in Figures 3 and 4.

In its other side walls 23, the valve-pin carrier 22 is provided with opposed registering apertures I 35 for permitting free flow of the refrigerant from I marginalb' with an annular flange 38 for overlyarcuate lip l9 for rocking abutment against the spring I1 functions to bias the valve in the closing I ing abutment upon the. peripheral portion of the outwardly presented face of the diaphragm I2, inwhich position the cap 38 is. tightly secured and sealed preferably by weldinginthe formation with the diaphragm l2 of a sealed chamber 0, which is partially fllled with a suitable thermalcharge in the nature of temperature-responsive medium 39, such as an expansible liquid, vaporizable liquid, gas, or' the like. It will, of course, be evident that, instead of welding, the shell flange 5, the chamber end wall flange 8, the diaphragm l2, and the cap-flange 38 may be conventionally provided with a suitable number of annular gaskets and bolted or otherwise tightly I secured together.

u The end cap 36 is further preferably provided with a shallow inwardly depressed diametral channel 40 for seating engagement with the return or suction line H of the evaporator G, and welded or otherwise rigidly secured upon the outer face of the end cap 36 on opposite sides of the channel 40, is a pair of suitable clamp straps 4| each provided with a clamping bolt 42 for" securely retaining the entire valve structure E in operative position. e

In operation, the valve E is clamped to the suction line H in a position such that the temperature-responsive substance 39 in the chamber c is in direct contact with the end cap 88. With anincrease in suction temperature, the temperature-responsive substance 39 in the chamber b expands, deflecting the diaphragm l2 and the pressure plate I inwardly against 'the tension of I flows through the tube 21, the aperture 28, and

the aperatures 28, 35, of the pin-carrier 22 into the outlet chamber b and then through the line F and system G.

The refrigerant, on flowing through the aperture 28, expands, and a certain amount of so.- called flash gas is formed, which forces its way into the chamber b and through the spring aperdiaphragm It.

ture-Il into the b, forming a so- -called por lock." thereby 'functioningas'an insulating medium to, preventany of the cold expanding refrigerantfrom coming in contact with the As was previously pointed out. the chamber c is provided with any suitable thermal-charge and,

try, the most commonly employed thermalcharges consist oi 'a-quantlty oi the refrigerant itself introduced .into the chamber at some selected temperature and pressure. In connection with the present invention, it must be borne in mind that-the pressure exerted upon a diaphragm by'a' refrigerant charged thermal element corresponds to the average temperature on the surface of the liquid componentof that charge. It will. thus be evident that, when thevalve E is provided with such a thermal-charge and is mounted by means of the .clamp'straps 4| upon the suction line H, theliquid rests uponthe upwardly Pr nted inner face of the'cap 3t, cre.-

ating another or auxiliary insulating-gaseous layer upon the under aided the diaphragm, augmenting the insulating action of the vapor lock. Conversely, witha reduction in temperature ases vos.

what smaller than the chamber, so as'to permit a free gas space within as iswell recognized in the refrigeration industhe volume of such 'chargebeing normally someverall; volume of the the chamber :above the charge of. thermally tem-.

perature-responslve substance or substances. For

example, in Figure 6.1 have shown the valve E partially filled with -a:-temperature-responsive liquid 1. When the valve E is disposed in truly horizontal position (it being understood that by horizontal I means a general plane or reference more. or less commonly understood as being .par-

allel to the ground or floor, that is to say, at right 1 angles to the "vertical" line. of the force of gravity), as shown in Figure 6, its operation will be substantially that described above in connec tionwith the valve shown in Figure 2. Thecondensation into liquid particles will occur on the underside of the diaphragm l2 due to the thermal conductivity of the element It and drop off into the, liquid still remaining on the upper. surface of the cap 3 thus becomin again responsive to the temperature or the suction line H. This cons I tinuous-condensation and 're-evaporation or the of the suction gas. the pressure exerted upon the diaphragm I2 by the temperature-responsive medium ll will be reduced and the pressure plate It will move downwardly under the influence or bias of the spring l1 and the pressure in chambers b, b, seating the valve-point ii and thereby restricting the seat-forming aperture or orifice -2l and; cutting oil! or reducing the flow or refrigerant to the evaporator G.

It shmild-bespecifically noted that the expansion of. the refrigerant through the valves seat aperture 28 takes place within the confines of the duet which is entirely surrounded by the inlet chamber a. In addition, the portions of the outlet chamber b which are adjacent the dia- .phragm I! are in intimate heat-interchanging recharge lprovides .a gas-liquid phase relationship which makes it possibleto change the basic charin,all respects, to the valve E, except that it is sorbed gas, or a solid containing an absorbed gas,

provided with an end cap 3! which is conically dished orcupped. as at 31', and provided with I an annular flange 38' for welded secwrement to the valve shell or housing a.

The end cap 38' is preferably formed of stainless steel or some other material having a relatively low coefllcient of thermal conductivity and is centrally. apertured, as at ll, for receiving a periphery welded lationship with the inlet chamber it across the wall-forming member 1. Consequently, the warm supply refrigerant in the chamber a maintains the exteriorly exposed portions of the valve in a relatively warm condition; thereby preventing the formation of any frost or otherwise material- 1y interfering with the proper functioningand opcrationpfthe valve.

As is well known, thermally responsive substances which are used in thermometers, thermovalves. and other temperature-sensitive devices depend for their effectiveness upon either. changes in vapor pressure or physical expansion 1 contraction responsive to. the, partim lar change being measured. For example, the mercury in the tubeof a thermometer dppends ior its effect upon its physical expansioniha characteristic' possessed by practically all liquids and solids and one-which may be measured'in termsv of a constant coemcient; The same is true of gases within the limits of theoperation of Boyle's law. For vaporis able liquids, however, the're is an intermediate range in which the pressure exerted by the liquid will varyresponsive to temperature changes as a function of the vapor pressure of the liquid. This latter phenomenon is also characteristic. of certain fluids and solids.- which} either sublime and, therefore. exhibit a vapor pressure. or which contain absorbed gases and, therefore, exhibit a vapor pressure.

the chamber c of the valve E'with a quantity of Accordingly, I have found that I may charge or otherwise hermetically secured insert 44 formed .of copper or some other suitable material having a relatively. high thermal conductivity and prm vided upon its under face with downwardly projecting spaced ears I for straddlewise seated en gagement upon the return or suction line H.

r'cmploying this so-called composite and cap with metals chosen for their relatively low and high thermal conductivities, the speed of response .of thethermostatic substance may be very sensitively and changed by tilting the valve structure, so that a greater or lesser portion of the liquid component of the thermostatic charge will be i'n'contact with the'insert N.

when the majority of the liquid component of the thermostatic charge within the chamber 0 is in contact with the high conductivity insert member 44,, such aswould be the case when the valve is in truly upright position withlts diasponse of thecharge would be relatively rapid and, the valve would be responsive primarily. to

changes inthe temperature ofthe suction line itself. However, if greater superheat were desired, this could be accomplished by enlarging the insert member M and increasing the size of its dished or cup-like upper face 44', so that the en- 'tire charge could be contained therein. If lower 'superheats were desired, so that a relatively large Portion of the evaporator would be iilled with 1- ,frigerant and a relatively small portion assigned to the function of'superheating the suction gas,

. thevalvewouldthenbetiltedawayfromthever a vaporisable' quid, a liquid ab- 7 with a greatcr'portion of .tbe char-gambphragm substantially horizontal, the speed of re iected to the ambient temperature surrounding the valve and the temperature of the relatively hot liquid entering the inlet. chamber of the valve from the conduitD. As to this portion of the thermal-charge, the temperature of the suction line H would only be effective to the extent of the heat transmitted by conductivity through the metallic walls of the valve body itself Thus, for a given suction gas temperature, there would be an average higli'er'pressure within the thermostatic chamber c, and the valve would be biased to a greater extent in the opening direction forwarding more refrigerant to the evaporator. As the temperature of the. refrigerated space is reduced,

the overall temperature average in the surface sponsive charge would be consequently slightly reduced due to the lower suction line tempera-.

ture imposed upon the insert member 44, produc-' ing an .attendant slight reduction in pressure I head pressure on the compressor is materially reduced with a constant reduction in the temperature of the liquid flowing into the conduit D. This; in turn, reduces the temperature of the valve casing and tends to reduce the temperature of the insert member 44 to a further extent with" a consequent reduction in the opening bias'imposedupon the valve pin. thereby compensating for load ditferences to achieve an excellent operating cycle and more nearly approximating the desired conditions within theevaporator through the agency of a single, simple control element.

I have alsofound that it is possible to employ a valve E", as shown in Figure-9, which is substantially similar-in all respects to the valve 11:,

except that the end cap ll" is provided with a long, fiexibletube ll, opening into the chamber cf, which in-this modification, will obviously be uncharged. The tube 46 is bent intermediate its ends into one or more helical turns, as at 41, to facilitate bending and adjustment, as will presvently more fully appear, and at its other end the tube 48 extends through, and is welded or otherwise hermetically sealed in, the top member ll -of a flat, elongated sump or chamber 40 preferably-constructed of two companion-shaped caplike members 50, eachsubstantially similar in shape to the cap member I! and peripherally welded together, as at II. The lower cap member b is preferably provided with an insert II of substantially high thermal conductivity and similar in all respects to the insert 44 of the previously described valve E". If desired, the upper of the liquid component of the temperature re- 1 asoavos absorbed dissimilar gas. The function of such. charge has been found to be substantially similar to a vaporizable liquid, although charges of the absorbed gas type seem tobe slightly more emcient when employed upon absorption refrigeration systems; in which case the thermal-charge may be substantially identical with the refrigerant actually employedin the system. For some applications, it also seems desirable to employ a thermal-charge in the form of a solid having an absorbed gas, in which case the solid is inserted as a flake or powder, which will, in a manner of speaking, flow to one side or the other as the valve is tilted, very much in the manner of the liquid charges previously discussed.

In refrigeration installations where characteristics of the system preclude the possibility of a rapid change in the evaporator condition,it will be desirable to provide for a control cycle which is somewhat insensitive, so that over-traveling of the valve and consequent hunting or cycling is minimized. This practice is dictated by the relative relationships of the frequency of response of the evaporator to the control condition as imposed on the frequency of response of the controller to the evaporator change; This-may defi- I nitely be designed in cycles per hour,- per minute, or, in other words, as a function of time.

Unless these frequencies are carefully chosen, so that the frequency of the valve in its natural speed of response is remote from the natural frequency of response to the evaporator or one of its harmonics, we may frequently get an inter-hunting of the control-on the system which will resuit in the alternate flooding and starving ofthe evaporator. Among its other valuable functions, this valve indirectly integrates the rate of change of the back pressure with respect to the rate of change of the temperature of the refrigerated space.

Control valves constructed-in accordance with my present invention are uniquely adapted for meeting such installation requirements, since it is possibleto form the end cap of composite materials chosen carefully to minimize the critical frequency conditions, or entire topcap made of one piece of a material of relatively low conductivity which tends tolower the speed of response and consequently achieve a-frequencywhich will not beat or hunt with the main evaporator frequency. On the other hand, the entire end cap may be made of a single material of relatively or internal face of the insert-l2 may be provided with a plurality of small recesses or pockets II- which will retain minimum quantities of the ther-.

mally responsive member and permit the chamber 40 to be tilted to asubstantially sharp angle-at which all .of the temperature-responsive charges will be out of contact with the inserted element 52, except for the small quantities or temperaand thereby providing a control element having an especially wide range of adjustment.

As has been indicated above, it is also possible to use as a thermostatic charge a liquid having an ture-responsive material retained inthe recesses The, valve is designed, prim refrigerant flow to evaporators lnso-called packhigh conductivity for use where high evaporator frequencies and rapid changes of load must be accommodated;

It will be evident that, by my invention, I provide a control valve of extreme simplicity and of a design lending itself readily to quantity production methods. In addition, the valve-seating structure of my invention is uniquely designed to provideperfect alignment for and maintenance of correct seating pressures on e materials used. y for controlling age units, in which the valve is applied as a part of the factor production methods. The use of all metal parts and the absence of unsealed joints makes the valve especially suitable for low temperature application in connection with ice-cream and frosted food cabinets.

While not here specifically shown, it will be understood that the. valve may be placed on the suction line adiacentto the evaporator, so that the ambient temperature is that of the refrigerated space, and it should also be understood that other changesv and modifications in the form,

construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the valve may be made and claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In combination with a refrigerating system including .an evaporator having a suction line and means for supplying refrigerant to the evaporator, a control valve having an actuating chamber tiitably mounted on the suction line and charged with a motile temperature-responsive substance, whereby the temperature responsive effect of such substance will change as the chamher is tilted, the chamber having a wall provided with an insert of dissimilar material directly in contact with the line.

2. A thermostatic valve including a valve-body having suitably connected inlet and outlet chambers and throttling means operativelyinterposed therebetween, a diaphragm actuatingly connected to the throttling means, an imperforate cap-like member formed of material having relatively low thermal conductivity, said cap-like member being hermetically sealed against the diaphragm face forming an enclosed chamber and being provided with an insert portion formed of material of relatively high thermal conductivity, and a thermal-charge disposed within said enclosed chamber and adapted to exert a variable thermostatic eifect upon the diaphragm depending upon the angle. at which the valve-body and its associated diaphragm is tilted.

3. A thermostatic valve including a valve-body having suitably connected inlet and outlet chambers and throttling'means operatively interposed therebetween, a diaphragm actuatingly connected to the throttling means, an imperforate cap-like member formed of material having relatively low thermal conductivity, said cap-like member be-- ing hermetically sealed against the diaphragm face forming an enclosed chamber and being provided with an insert portion formedof material of relatively high thermal conductivity, said insert having upon, its interior face a plurality of small cavities, and a thermal-charge disposed within said enclosed chamber and adapted to exert a variable thermostatic effect upon the diamining the degree of sensitivity, and said mounting means being adapted to permit angular adjustment of the valve inrelation to the suction line.

5. In combination with a refrigerating system including an evaporator, a suction line and.

means for supplying refrigerant to the evaporator, a control valve having a chamber and mounting means for holding the chamber on the suction line in position to be effected by temperature changes in the latter, said chamber having a relatively large area in one plane and a relatively small area in a plane transverse to the plane of the large area and being filled with a free flowing material having a component in gaseous phase and a component in non-gaseous phase, the material being of such character that the ratio of said components varies with slight 6. In combination with a refrigerating systemincluding an evaporator, a suction line and means for supplying refrigerant to the evaporator, a control valve and mounting means for holding said control valve on said suction line in position a to be effected by temperature changes-in the latphragm depending upon the angle at which the valve-body and its associated diaphragm is tilted. 4. Incombination with a refrigerating system including an evaporator, a suction line and means for supplying'refrigerant to the evaporator, a

control valve and .mounting means for holding said control valve on said suction line in position to be effected by temperature changes in the latter, said valve including a chamber having I arelatively large area in one plane and a relatively small area in a plane transverse to the plane of the large area; said chamber being filled with a free flowing material having a component I in gaseous phase and a component in non-gaseous phase,- the material being of such character that the ratio of said components varies with slight changes in temperature, said valve being so mounted on said suction line that the plane of the large area makes a selected angle with the 'horizontal, such angularity of mounting deterter, said valve including a chamber having a relatively large area in one plane and a relatively small area in a plane transverse to the plane of the large area, said chamber being partially filled with a volatile liquid having a component in gaseous phase and a component inliquid phase, the liquid being of such character that the ratio of said components varies with slight changes in temperature, said valve being somounted on said suction line that the plane of the large area makes a selected angle with the horizontal, such angularity of mounting determining the degree of sensitivity, and said mounting means being adapted to permit angular adjustment of the valve in relation to the suction line.

7. In combination with a refrigerating system including an evaporator, a suction line and means for supplying refrigerant to the evaporator, a control valve having a chamber and mount ing means for holding the chamber on. the suction line in position to be effected by temperature changes in the latter, said chamber having a relatively large area in one plane and a relatively small area in'a plane transverse to the plane of the large area and being partially filled with a volatile liquid having a component in gaseous phase and a component in liquid phase, the

liquid being of such character that the ratio of said components varies with slight changes in temperature, said chamber being so mounted on the suction line that the plane of the large area adapted to permit angular adjustment of the valve in relation to the suction line. I

, mm H. THOMPSON. 

